(a) (i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved edge folding and creasing machine for pliable materials wherein there is provided a stationary support plate having a reciprocal flat punch head therein, and a moving die having a die cavity to receive the punch head which supports the material intended to be folded and creased along its circumferential edge.
(a) (ii) Advantages of the Invention
The machine of the present invention saves lining material used in the creasing process in the needle trade industry and improves the material edge folding and creasing techniques.
(b) Description of Prior Art
Various types of creasing machines and methods are known. However, the majority of these have disadvantages and limitations such as:
i. To use the prior art machines, the fused lining and fabric must have the same configuration of the cut material.
ii. The fused lining must be fusable on both faces.
iii. The finished product produced with the prior art machines has a thick edge specially at the sharp corners which results in irregularities along its circumferential edge.
iv. During the pressing operation of the prior art machines, the machines stand idle and the operator has to stand around and wait until the end of the pressing cycle to release the finished product. This, of course, wastes the valuable time of the operator. Because of this, machine manufacturers are forced to design machines with as little pressing time as possible.
v. Since the pressing time must be made as short as possible, special lining material is needed, which lining material will respond in the shortest possible pressing time.
vi. The prior art machines also have functional limitations in that the folding machine without a lining "crimper" cannot function as a creasing machine and vice versa.
vii. The prior art machines cannot provide a fuseable liner only along the folded edge of the material.
viii. Furthermore, prior art process of folding and creasing is substantially slow, resulting in an expensive operation which is labour intensive. Still further, with the machines heretofore known, the positioning of the lining material onto the facing material is not very precise and when a lining material is concentrically offset, the folded edge of the facing fabric will be thicker in some parts of its circumference whilst in other parts there may not be any lining at all.